Lock fob automobile cl tjtch-levebs



G. P. SMITH. LOCK FOR AUTOMOBILE CLUTCH LEVERS. APPLlcAloN FILEDMA1/13.1919.

Patented Oct. 21, 1919.

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G. P. SMITH.` LOCK FOR AUTOMOBILE CLUTCH LEVERS. APPLICATION FILED MAYI3. 1919.

E 3 l @B495 Patented Out. 21, 1919.

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GEORGE P. SMITH, or EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS.

Loon FORVAUTOMOBILE CLUTCH-Levites;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 21, 1919.

Application filed May 13, 1919. Serial No. 296,869.

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that l, GEORGE P. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at East St. Louis, in the State of Illinois, have invented anew and useful Lock for Automobile Clutch-Levers, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to devices for locking the clutch-lever of anautomobile when the saine is depressed, whereby the engine isdisconnected from the drive shaft and the prime object of this inventionis to afford a lock which shall be more simple, stronger and lessexpensive to make and install than the locks covered by my Patents Nos.1,066,539 of July S, 1913, and 1,081,237 of January 13, 1914.-, which.are intended for the same purpose.

Other objects and advantages will be made apparent upon consideration ofthe foliowing portions of the specification and the appended claims.

Referring to the annexed drawings, wherein like numerals refer to likeparts 'throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a top plan View of thecomplete lool; as installed in the floor of an automobile, showing itsdisposition relative to the clutch-pedal; Fig. 2 is a top-plan viewcorresponding to Fig. 1, eX- cept that the housing of the lock and thelever element have been removed to disclose the interior mechansm; Fig.3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the complete lock, showingits locking-arm element positioned so as to retain the clutch-leveragainst upward movement; Figs. -1 and 5 are plan Views of the lock asviewed from beneath the floor of the car, the former showing thelocking-arm element engaged with the clutch-lever and the latter showingsaid element in the position assumed when the lock is released; Fig. 6 aplan view of the interior of the housing shown in Fig. 1, depicting thecani for retracting the spring-pressed bolt shown in Figs. 2 and 3; Fig.7 a detail sectional View, on enlarged scale, depicting' one of thescrews preferably used for fastening-the lock to the floor of the carand the manner of preventing the removal of said screws by closing theslot in the head thereof; and Fig. 8 a detail sectional view showing themanner of fastening the locking-arm element of the shaft by'which it ismoved into engagement with the clutch-lever.

1n carrying out the invention 1 employ Yale, Corbin or other standardkeyope ated barrel'l, the casing of which is affixed by means of screws2 (Fig. 6) to the housing' 3 and a cam, consisting of a disk 4- carryinga pin 5, is secured to the end of the barrel proper by screws G.Disposed beneath Vsaid housing is a 4bolt 'l' projecting throughupstanding curved Hanger-7" against which pin 5 bears when barrel 1 isrotated for the purpose of releasing the lock. Shaft 11 is provided witha thickened upper portion around which a hat chain 12 is passed and byreference to Figs. 4t and 5 it will be noted that one extremity of saidchain is secured by bolt 13 to the lower end of lever 11 while its otherextremity engages helical spring 15 which is a'llixed at 15 to theflooringl 17. .f1 screw 18 projected through one of the links of chain12 secures the latter to shaft 11 and the lower extremity of said shaftcarries an arin 19 for retention of the clutch-lever 20 when the saineis depressed as shown in Figs. 3 and el., said arm being adjustable invarious positions by means of a key 21 and, after adjustment, fixedaga-inst removal bv the insertion of a pin 22 in one of apertures 23which is then closed over the end of said pin by several blows from ahammer (Fig. S). The lock is secured to the Hoor of the car by screwsQ4.- which engage threaded bases 25 cast integral with the under surfaceof housing and by reference to Fig. 7 it will. be noted that the removalof said screws is virtually rendered impossible closing the slot in thehead thereof with a staple 26 of piano-wire or other specially hardenedsteel.

The operation of the lock is as follows: lVhen it is desired to leavethe car without an attendant clutch-lever 20 is first depressed andchain 12 then drawn rearwardly through the agency of lever 14. Thisresults in rotating shaft 11 and in bringing arm 19 from the positionshown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Figs. 3 and t so that, upon removal ofthe foot from pedal 20, the clutch-lever will contact with and bcretained by said arm, the latter being locked in such position by theentrance of bolt 7 within slot 9 of disk 10 which is rotated in unisonwith shaft 11. To release the clutch-lever, a key is inserted in thekey-slot of barrel l and turned so as to rotate disk 4 and thus forcebolt 7 rearwardly through the agency of pin 5 acting against flange 7baiixed to the head of said bolt, whereupon the pull of springl againstchain l2 will serve to rotate shaft 11 and thus return arm 1 9 to theposition shown in F ig. 5. Y

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters-Patent is l. A device for locking theclutch-lever of an automobile, comprising a housing affixed to the floorof the vehicle adjacent to the upper extremity of said lever, akeyoperated cylinder secured tol said housing, a cam aiiixed to anextremity of said cylinder, a shaft extending through said ioorsurmounted by a slotted disk disposed beneath said cam, a spring-pressedbolt Within said housing adapted to engage the slot of said disk, amember aflixed to said bolt affording a bearin surface for said cam,whereby said bolt 1s retracted upon rotation 5 of said cylinder, an armalixed to the lower extremity of said shaft, mechanism for rotating saidshaftto position said arm across the path of movement of said lever, andautomatic means for withdrawing said arm coincident with the retractionof said bolt by said cam.

2. A device for locking the clutch-lever of an automobile, comprising ahousing affixed to the floor of the vehicle adjacent to the upperextremity of said lever, a key- Operated cylinder secured to Saidhousing, a cam affixed to an extremity of said cylinder, a shaftextending through said floor surmounted by a slotted disk disposedbeneath said cam, a spring-pressed bolt within said housing adapted toengage the slot of said disk, a member aiiixed to said bolt affording abearing surface for said cam, whereby said' bolt is retracted uponrotation of said cylinder, an arm aliixed to the lower extremity of saidshaft, means forradjusting said arm, mechanism for rotating said shaftto position said arm across the path of movement ofsaid lever, devicesfor preventing the removal of said housing, and automatic means forwithdrawing said arm coincident with the retraction of said bolt by saidcam.

GEORGE P. SMITH.

lVitnesses:

MAYBELU] SCHUMERT, FRANK G. SMITH.

copies o! this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Waihington, D. C.

